


The New Prefect

by MystExplorer



Series: The Rival Prefects Trilogy [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Legilimency, Nudity, Slytherin, Slytherin Common Room
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-19 08:49:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22341589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MystExplorer/pseuds/MystExplorer
Summary: A follow-up to The Rival Prefects Trilogy in which a young Slytherin boy makes an unusual new friend.
Series: The Rival Prefects Trilogy [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1110597





	The New Prefect

The Slytherin Common Room was unusually quiet for once as young Albert did his best to stay awake. Even though it was past curfew, he was determined to spend as much time as possible studying for his potions exam. It was his first year at Hogwarts and this would be the first major test of his abilities. He came from a family with a reputation for excellence so he had to live up to high expectations or risk humiliation. Unfortunately, he was not finding potions to be as easy as he had hoped.

“How am I supposed to remember all these ingredients?” he muttered. “I’ve never even heard of some of them!”

“ _I see not much has changed since I took potions”_ said a voice.

Albert looked around the room but saw no one. “Who said that?” he asked.

There was silence and then he heard the voice again. “ _I’ll be damned,”_ it said. “ _Sounds like this kid can hear me.”_

“Yes, I can!” Albert yelled. “And I demand to know where you are! Show yourself!”

Again, silence. But then the voice returned. “ _I’m right here where I’ve always been. By the fireplace.”_

Albert looked at the fireplace and saw where the voice was coming from. It was the statue of a naked man. Albert had found it odd that a statue like that would be in the Common Room but had never paid much attention to it. Now that it was talking to him, he could not help but wonder if he was going mad. He got up from his chair and approached the statue cautiously.

“Forgive me if I sound rude,” he said haltingly, “But statues aren’t exactly known for making conversation.”

“ _Correct,”_ the statue replied. “ _Believe me, I’m as shocked as you are. I don’t understand how you can hear me. Unless…”_

“Unless what?”

“ _Unless you’re a Legilimens.”_

“I am.”

“ _But you’re so young.”_

“I started practicing when I was six. Everyone in my family is good at something so I decided to be good at Legilimency. But I didn’t think I was this good. Since when have statues been able to think?”

“ _Well, you see… sorry, what’s your name again?”_

“Albert.”

“ _Well, Albert, I haven’t always been a statue. I used to be human like you.”_

“You’re having me on.”

“ _No. I swear it’s true! Though it was many years ago so my memories of being human are somewhat foggy.”_

“Do you at least remember your name? What should I call you?”

“ _My name! Yes, it’s coming back to me. I think it was… Thomas. That rings a bell.”_

“Well then, pleased to meet you, Thomas. Can you remember how you ended up like this?”

“ _The details are a little hazy but I do remember being a student at Hogwarts. I think I was in… Gryffindor. Yes, that’s it! I was a prefect and I had this rivalry with another prefect. Now, what was his name? Mark? No. Matthew? Not that. Malcolm! Of course! Malcolm Turner! He’s the bastard who did this to me.”_

“Malcolm Turner? The one who’s part of the Wizengamot?”

“ _Oh, he’s one of them now, is he?”_

“Yeah. My dad’s in the Ministry and has a lot of connections in high places. He knows everyone in the Wizengamot.”

_“And how old is Turner now?”_

“Must be well over a hundred. He’s one of the most senior members.”

_“That means I’ve been stuck like this for a century. How time flies.”_

“Er, if you don’t mind my asking, why are you naked?”

“ _Well, I was a bit of a rebel in my day. I’d sneak out in the middle of the night and run around with nothing on. I remember it being quite liberating. But then Malcolm caught me doing it and, well, here I am.”_

“That’s horrible!”

“ _Yes. I think he was angry because I’d turned him into a toad. But I didn’t deserve this. I’ve been so lonely for so long. It’s wonderful to finally have someone to talk to.”_

“Must be.” Albert paused and thought for a moment. “Were you any good at potions?”

“ _I seem to recall that I was_.”

“Great! Because I really need some help to pass my exam.”

“ _I’ll be happy to help you, Albert. But you must tell no one about me. As far as the rest of Hogwarts is concerned, I’m just a statue. Got it?”_

“Yes.”

Thomas helped Albert pass his exam and continued to help him throughout his time at Hogwarts. Thanks to his new friend, Albert excelled in all of his subjects and was made a prefect in his fifth year.

“I’m a prefect!” Albert told Thomas excitedly.

“ _Congratulations!”_ Thomas replied, elated. “ _Now you can use the prefects’ bathroom. Here’s some advice: Do what I did and break curfew. Then you can have the place all to yourself.”_

Albert did just that and found it to be a luxuriating experience. He earned top marks as a prefect and was made Head Boy in his seventh year. He was so grateful to Thomas for all his help that he wanted to repay him. So, he used his Head Boy privileges to sneak a look at the library’s restricted section and promptly found what he was looking for. He waited until everyone else had gone to bed and went down to the Common Room to see Thomas.

“I went to the library today and found something that might interest you. In the restricted section.”

“ _And what might that be?”_

“The spell that turned you into a statue. Incredibly dark magic. So dark that not even the death of the person who cast it will undo it.”

_“I thought as much. When old Turner finally kicks the bucket, I’ll still be here. But I made peace with that a long time ago. Don’t worry about me, Albert. After all, there are advantages to being a statue. You can listen in on people’s conversations and hear all their secrets. It can be fun, sometimes.”_

“I found something else, though. It turns out there is a way to reverse the spell.”

_“There is?”_

“Oh yes. But it takes someone like me to do it. A Legilimens. It can only be done with the mind, not a wand.”

“ _That’s awfully kind of you, Albert, but I’ve been a statue for so long that I don’t think I’d be able to adjust to being human again.”_

“Just try it out for one night and see how it feels. If you don’t like it, I’ll change you back. Deal?”

“ _You’re very persuasive. Deal._ ”

Albert closed his eyes and concentrated. He had memorized the incantation he had found and began reciting it over and over in his mind. After a few moments, he opened his eyes and found Thomas sprawled on the floor in front of the fireplace. He appeared to be in shock but was definitely human once again. It had worked.

“Thomas! Are you all right! Can you speak?”

“I… I think so.”

“Can you move?”

Thomas sat up slowly. “Yes.” He stood up and smiled. “You did it, Albert! I’m back!”

The two friends hugged. “Welcome back to the human world!” Albert exclaimed. He was so overcome with emotion that it took a while for him to remember that Thomas was still stark naked. “Right, er, I’ll get you some clothes.”

“No! That can wait. I’ve been naked for the past century. A few more hours won’t do any harm. In fact, I want to use that time to do what I did all those years ago.”

“What?”

“Run around Hogwarts in the nude, of course!” With that, he took off and ran out of the Common Room. Albert smiled and ran after him. Thomas got to the end of the hall that led to the Common Room but then stopped and turned around. “If you’re going to join me, don’t even think about keeping your clothes on!” He resumed his run.

“Well, if you insist,” Albert said and continued to run after Thomas, stripping off as he did so. As he ran, he realized that Thomas had been absolutely right. It was liberating.

The two of them ran all over the castle and then outside onto the castle grounds. It was a full moon so they had no trouble seeing where they were going. Eventually, they found themselves on the bridge that overlooked the gorge.

Thomas was practically glowing by this point. “You were right, Albert! I love being human again. I thought I could get used to being a statue. But those days are finally over!”

“Glad to hear it!”

Thomas climbed up on the wall that separated the bridge from the gorge. “I’m ready to live again!” he shouted, raising his arms in the air. “I want to experience everything the world has to offer! You hear me? I’m alive and I’m baaaa…” He lost his footing and fell into the gorge.

“Thomas!” Albert cried. He looked over the edge but couldn’t see anything through the fog. “No,” he said sadly. He stood there for a long time. He had brought his friend back to life, only to lose him. “I should’ve left you as a statue. At least then you’d still be here.”

“Actually, I am still here.”

Albert spun around and there was Thomas. He was a ghost but he was definitely still Thomas. “I’m so sorry, Thomas. I should’ve left you alone.”

“Don’t be sorry. I got to run around Hogwarts naked again. And now I’ll get to float around Hogwarts naked. Forever!”

“Yeah, I guess you will. I’ll be sure to come back and visit you. Thanks for all your help over the years.”

“Hey, don’t mention it.” With that, he waved goodbye and floated away into the night.


End file.
